Rick Cartwright (a.k.a. Rick the Railroad Guy) is attempting to set the world's record for model train length
this weekend in the Phoenix, AZ area. (10-9 thru 10-13-08)
For more details please visit his website:
http://ricktherailroadguy.com/longestmodeltrain.html
Rick says thanks to everyone that has helped in any way.
His website has live video streaming available.
Rick is the first person to attempt this on gauge 1 (large scale) track in 1:29 scale.
Sincerely,
Joe Satnik
depends on how you define train length. by car count, I believe NTrak ran over 500 cars some 20 or more years ago.
Dear Glenn,
Rick is aware of the car# vs. length vs. scale length issue.
Current record:
An HO (1:87.1) scale model train measuring 110.3 m ( 361 ft 10 in) made up of 3 locomotives of type "lore" and 887 carriages was constructed by Miniature Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany, on November 27, 2005. If the model had been a full-scale train it would have measured 9.607 km (5.969 miles) long.
The one old record that I have a detailed article on (long since broken a few times) is:
751 cars (smashing a 501 car previous record)
670 feet (which is greater than 2 football fields)
Conservative (1:48) multiplier gives 6.091 scale miles.
July 26, 1980
Stewart Roberts' group of ~50 from Columbus, Ohio.
Lionel O gauge Modern cars, mix of Postwar and Modern 2 motor Electrics and Diesels with Magnetraction.
Straight line, leveled track, greater than 4 football fields long. Multiple AC powerpacks along the line.
Sincerely,
Joe Satnik
Well, I talked to a guy at "rail-fair" today, and they were supposed to attempt this, this afternoon. I wonder how it went?
Bruce
I am not impressed with train lenght or number of cars if thats all these and others are attempting. A straight track or or extra large radi curve put together for such an attempt takes away from the effort and glory. I don't know about any others listed here, but the 501 record was EARNED. To use a club layout with curves and grades built with no intent except to operate trains was a real accomplishment. The planing of # of engines, where to locate them, how and where to wieght the cars took some seriouse planing and that is what impressed me. The others are records, but adding more straight track, power packs, cars, and engines can be done to break "records" over and over. Pick a layout, then try to run 501 train is not so easy. I am just saying what impressed me, my opinion.
Not trying to ruin anybodies fun. I am curious how things came out and under what conditions. Thanks.
#94. Interesting comment.
Bruce
I agree with #94, contrived record breaking/setting is an empty exercise in self promotion. I'm not interested or impressed.
Sheldon
In my HO scale days I once ran a train of 107 cars (eight were cabooses. I used four Athearn Sd40-2's on the front with no mid train engines or pushers. I did it on a modular layout, and I used only stock Athearn cars and MDC cars. The only planning I did was to put all the lighter cars like flat cars at the rear. We were putting on a show at a Public library at the time.
I did it because I was on duty for over seven hours at the time and bored out of my skull!!! Like most other I see no real purpose in such things, but it did relieve the bordom and was fun at the time!!
If you click on the link in the website for the "live video" of them attempting to set the record, you'll see a video of them sitting around a barbecue drinking beer.
"sitting around a barbecue drinking beer" - Well that really looses my interest and makes it a place I won't be found. To each his own, but that's not for me - or my children or grandchildren.
Sheldon
Which bothers you, Sheldon - the barbeque or the beer? :D In any event, it sounds like the junior high locker room to me.
Gene
Dear All,
Rick's attempt is on a huge outdoor layout (not a straight line, not level) that is not lit for nighttime running.
You tuned in duing "Miller Time".
How many of us wish we could have been there? (Medium Well, please.)
How many of us strive to make perfectly weathered rolling stock, scenes and photos?
How many of us want perfect (no derailments) trackwork?
The length record is just another aspect of model railroading that Rick wants to excel at.
Setting the record certainly wouldn't hurt his business, which is building garden railroad empires.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Joe Satnik
Gene and all,
As for the Barbeque, make mine beef, simple and medium rare. As for the beer, I will skip that part. As I said "to each his own".
I will admit, I am not an overly "social" person and "barbeque and beer" reminds me of people and places better left in the past.
Joe,
I don't see this as a bad thing, just not something that interests me. I am not automaticly interested just because a train is involved.
"I used to be well rounded until I learned what I really like." I now stay pretty focused on my goals - this is not on that list.
Sheldon
Better have some Kadees! Also, some tough power, for those are the faults in my friends longer trains. Couplers come lose or derail the truck, or the engine can't even start up!
I'd like to see that train. ;)
I remember that The Model Railroad Club in New Jersey made an attempt years ago at a "long train" record--maybe 400 cars? They spaced out the motive power throughout the train to help control slack and reduce strain on the couplers. Think about it--if each car weighed about 3 oz. each, that would come to 75 pounds at the front couplers, not counting rolling friction. That was back in the days when all Kadees were metal, though.
I am impressed by the numbers of cars they can move. I can barely manage to nurse 40 cars around my layout using four locomotives. Do you think that 18 radius helices with 3-1/2 % grades might have something to do with it?
Jim
You need flange lubricators on those curves, heh heh.
Tim L. Anders
Souderton, PA
Jim, The mention of flange lubricators on those curves reminded me of the first steam fan trip out of
Kansas City on the CB&Q. They had a long train powered by a 4-8-4. There was a junction with
a wye that enabled the train to return to Kansas City by a different route. This was a very sharp
curve for a 4-8-4. Word was sent out to section crew lubricate the side of the rides. They went
out and lubricated the side and top of the rail. Needless to say the locomotive was unable to pull
the train around the sharp curve. They had to cut the engine loose and run in back and forth
several times to clear the grease off the rails and enable them to pull the train around the curve.
I was on the next days trip and they had no trouble pulling the train around the curve.
A fan trip I took 20+years ago behind N&W J 611 had a similar problem on the wye at conneaut junction. He had lots of wheel slippage on that wye to turn the train for the return to buffalo, I think he had a sander problem though. He'd go a few feet, slip, go a few feet, slip, It was that way until he got to straighter track. It was awesome to hear that engine run back to Buffalo at 65 mph pulling 25 cars
(http://members.shaw.ca/the.trainman/14LOCOSa.JPG)
Tried oiling the flanges. Now it takes 14 locomotives to pull one caboose up the helix. What size shovel should I use to spread sand on the rails?
Is the second unit a Fairbanks / morse? Thats the problem
A good coal shovel should do it .
Jim
I think my beard is nicer looking than yours
Don
When I was a kid, I was taught that "Grey Beard" meant "older and wiser." Now that my beard is grey, I have found that it just means "older." Or maybe having learned that, I am a tiny bit wiser too.
This is the time of year that I let my beard grow from "keep out the mosquitoes" length to "keep out the cold" length. When shearing times comes around next spring, I'll borrow the clippers and knock it down to summer length.
When I was younger and worked in the bush, I used to use the lumber jack method. You know, hammer the whiskers in with the back of an axe and chew them off from the inside.
Good eyes, Paul. The second unit is indeed an FM Baby Trainmaster (H16-44.) The second last unit is an FM Trainmaster (H24-66.) There is a third H16-44 plus a CLC C-Liner A-B set somewhere in the tunnel as well. The CPR liked them, although a friend that drove Trainmasters absolutely hated them. He grew up in steam - smoke over your head, fresh air in your face. When the Trainmasters came along, they were run long hood forward. That, together with unpressurized bodies, meant a cab continually reeking of diesel fumes. And another good engineer took early retirement.
Now where did I leave my coal shovel?
Jim,
On a slightly more serious note, I have done a fair amount of work on improving the rolling qualities of freight trucks and it has lead to vastly improved pulling power.
I can pull 40 cars up a 2% grade with two Bachmann 2-8-0's. All but my lightest diesels pull 25 cars, or more, per powered unit up 2% grades. Forty car trains are no problem for most any two mainline locos on my system.
My free rolling truck secret is slightly expensive but effective - Intermountain wheel sets installed in Kadee trucks, with a very small drop of oil in each journal when they are installed. The porous nature of the metal truck casting holds the oil for a very long time with no mess and no need to re-oil.
In rolling tests this combo is more free rolling than any other truck or truck/wheelset combo I could find.
I have always prefered sprung/equalized trucks as my experiance has shown them to track better with less derailments - especially with long trains. I prefer the metal trucks because it puts the weight at the bottom, where it belongs. Normal train lengths here are 35-40 cars.
Sheldon